Permanent solutions being sought to cow itch problem
Steps are to be taken to devise a long- term solution to deal with the cow itch problem affecting the Blackman and Gollop Primary School.
That’s according to the Minister of Environment and National Beautification, Trevor Prescod, who explained that while possible long-term solutions were not fully ventilated yesterday during a meeting at the school located at Staple Grove, Christ Church, that does not mean that long-term solutions are not being sought.
His comments came as he revealed that an inter-ministerial committee, compromising his ministry as well as the Ministries of Health and Agriculture, will be working to see how they can mitigate the challenges annually.
He made the remarks while speaking to the media after engaging in a more than two-hour meeting between several Government officials and the owners of the offending piece of land adjacent to the school.
“We agreed that what will be done, as soon as the plant begins to shoot its head up, we will begin to treat to the matter early before the plant reaches that level of maturity where it then becomes a nuisance, or it even threatens the health of people that live in close proximity to wherever this menace is coming from in the form of the cow itch,” he said.
Prescod told reporters gathered, that in the discussions yesterday to determine the way forward for the short-term, the question of burning the cow itch was discussed, but the Barbados Fire Service personnel advised that idea should be placed on the “back burner”.
“It was suggested controlled burning, I was of the opinion that it was not about whether it is controlled or not controlled, it was about if the fire could destroy the plant to the point that we don’t have to worry about it anymore; my view was if that was so, then the fire [last week] should have taken care of the problem that we had… The experts, the Fire Service officers that were here, said that it is not the solution, that the seeds are resistant, that the seeds would germinate again and continue to produce,” he said.
He added too that consideration was given to spraying the vine with chemicals, but that was also shelved. The Minister explained then that it was decided that the best option would be to dig a number of deep trenches and bury the cow itch, so as localise it and treat to it in those areas.
“We know that they would recur until we find a solution which is not harmful in anyway, because obviously there are chemicals that can be used, but we also have to be conscious that if we use those chemicals the Ministry also has a responsibility. The Ministry is not going to recommend that we use any chemical that is so strong and concentrated that it could cause different harms to the field,” Minister Prescod stated. (JRT)
ﾎ